Should I learn more, do now or simply quit?

by its
11 replies
Hello warriors I will try to keep this quick. I appreciate any advice you can give me.

I started my own webdesign 'company' and got 2 paying customers. Both paid £300 for the website and £20 a month for hosting/backups/emails/updates etc. I've got the techniques to get more customers but a few things are holding me back.

I think I'm a good graphic designer and good business man, but my coding is weak. A friend was supposed to code for me but he got a job and I have been outsourcing on elance. Problem is these coders aren't great and there's a lot of stress in getting it working in every browser. My options are.

1. Learn to code HTML+ CSS effectively. I used it 6 years ago but my techniques are outdated. (This may take too long given I need money now or will need to find a job)

2. Focus on creating websites with wordpress. Buy or use templates, use the code and apply my graphical touch to them. (Least I know the coding will be solid but I'm limited with the designs. Advantage is fast turnover)

3. Stop worrying and keep finding clients and outsource the coding.

4. Quit. Find a job and move on.


For those wondering here is my website along with my portfolio: www.viral9 .com
Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers
#learn #quit #simply
  • I would go with option 1. The great thing about HTML and CSS is it's actually easier to use it now than ever before and there are a ton of resources and templates online that you can practice and work with now. It's going to take some time but not as long as you might expect.

    #2 is also a good option, for rush jobs and so you have some customized WP templates you can immediately show to clients
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  • Profile picture of the author Ron Lafuddy
    If you quit, you throw away everything you've learned and accomplished up to this point.
    Don't quit. Even if you have to take a job. Do not quit!

    Starting is where most people get stuck. You are well past that point. You are moving. You have taken action and succeeded.

    Set a written goal to double the amount of customers that you currently have, from 2 to 4.
    Get crackin' on that. Do whatever you need to do to make that happen.

    You are on the way to changing your life for the better. Don't let that slip away.
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    From your post I would say you should do 2 and part of 4 (get a job but don't quit).

    I was a software developer/programmer before I started in this game.
    I have learned over the years (15 now) to STOP over complicating and re-inventing things unless there is no choice. Business owners do not care or even understand the difference between a cookie cutter base web site that has been made to look great (wordpress etc..) and a custom designed/coded site.

    I constantly get new clients that had a custom site built at high costs but they want to add so much functionality that in the end we always end up switching to wordpress so we can take advantage of existing plugins.

    I suggested the get a job but don't quit because you stated you had 2 clients that paid £300 and I cannot imagine how long you could support yourself on that. I always advise people to keep working and doing this business on a sideline until they have it figured out.
    Of course you may be independently wealthy and not worried :-)

    Having said that it is really based on personality. If your the type that when pushed into a corner always figures a way out then you may choose to just continue to build your business. It is how I did it but its not for everyone.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Nguyen
    Cash is king and if you have no cash and little clients then whats the point? Real simple, work your butt off until your client base can cover you.

    Get your day job and work hard at night to deliver, there will come a time when you're ready to quit.
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  • Profile picture of the author CageyVet
    So if you are looking to do this full time, I would recommend finding a few good locations on the internet for usable wordpress and html templates. There is no reason to throw away your time when you could easily use a template to take care of the bulk of the layout/design, then add the customization that the client requires. That only makes business sense.

    While you are doing the design work yourself with templates, make sure that you keep looking for a competent designer to full fill the projects for you. If you stop looking and only do all the work yourself, at some point you are going to have more work that you have time for and at that point you will not have time to find an designer/developer.

    The last thing I will say is about your #4 option. You should either seriously think about that option OR you should stop thinking about that option all together. If you have it in your head that you could or should just quit and find a job, then you are not fully invested into your business....which will hurt you down the road.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Every web designer whether they like it or not have a "Look". Mechanically things are the same, its the character of the business that makes each site "different". Looking at the 4 sites on your "Our Work" page, the pattern is clear. The site that is different in your portfolio is the Green Remodeling site. However, even this site uses your sense of style.

      There is no reason you could not use WP and more than get away with it. Using your examples of work, you would need 2 templates. A top navigation model and a side navigation model.

      I think of Web Design as art. Looking at fine art, there are artist you like, and artist you don't much care for. Web design is the same thing. You are not selling a web site, you are selling a feeling. The color, the layout, the use of images, the words... it paints an image, a feeling. Buyers are drawn to your collection of work. They want to share the same feeling on their website, as they see in the others you use in your portfolio.

      I personally bang out 1 to 3 Business card websites a week. I use the KISS method (keep it simple stupid). Answering the 5 W's and an H. Who, what, where, when, why, and how. Throw in the googlemaps submission and get 4 to 5 hundred a crack.

      9 out of 10 times a customer wanting a site done will tell me "I want a site that looks like's X's site, I like the way it feels". <-- actually heard this today from a potential client. Your limited body of work already has that potential. All 4 have that unified feel, that airy white space, with the nice muted colors (green being your dominate choice - even your grey is on the green side)

      You need take the artistry into your own hands, and just do it. You could use the exact same template 10 times over, but each business is different, and each of those 10 sites as much as they are similar would be different. Develop a KISS method of your own and go... YOU are the only thing holding YOU back!
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  • Profile picture of the author digichik
    Don't Quit. Raise your prices, you will find even more clients who are happy to pay you way more money.

    Since you are just getting started, I suggest you for go the coding. Use customizable CMS(Wordpress or Joomla) themes, it will save you time if you are doing the designing and it easy to outsource the work.

    Instead of learning coding right now, concentrate on learning on-site SEO. Learn how to make a website a lead generating, client getting tool. Learn how to build a website that helps generate business and revenue for your clients.

    Spend some of your time learning copywriting, so that you can get visitors to the website to stick around and call or visit the business. Learn conversion techniques to add to the websites.

    Just about anyone can putting together a decent looking web, what not every one can do is make it a revenue generating tool.

    Most importantly learn how to set up lead generation systems for your business.

    How are you going to keep getting new clients?

    What niches do you want to target?

    What size businesses do you want to target?

    How do you plan to advertise and market your business?

    What systems do you want to put in place to get new prospects? For example -- email marketing, telemarketing, door-to-door, direct mail marketing, print ads, classified ads, etc.


    I strongly recommend finding good outsoucers sooner, rather than later. The more tasks you can successfully outsource, the more you can concentrate on bring in large paying customers, without getting bogged down with tiny little details like which icons to use in a website.



    Learn these things and your clients will be happy to pay you $1000s of dollar/pounds/euros etc., and happily recommend you to others.
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    • Profile picture of the author its
      Firstly thank you everyone for your advice, I really appreciate it. I will respond to just a few things.


      Originally Posted by CageyVet View Post

      The last thing I will say is about your #4 option. You should either seriously think about that option OR you should stop thinking about that option all together. If you have it in your head that you could or should just quit and find a job, then you are not fully invested into your business....which will hurt you down the road.
      True words. I don't intend to quit. If I have to make this an evening thing, then so be it. For now I have the day free so will try to get some more clients.


      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      The site that is different in your portfolio is the Green Remodeling site. However, even this site uses your sense of style.
      Hmm? I designed that page

      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      I personally bang out 1 to 3 Business card websites a week. I use the KISS method (keep it simple stupid). Answering the 5 W's and an H. Who, what, where, when, why, and how. Throw in the googlemaps submission and get 4 to 5 hundred a crack.
      Can I see some of your sites? How many clients do you have? You're right that I over complicate things for myself.


      Originally Posted by digichik View Post

      Instead of learning coding right now, concentrate on learning on-site SEO. Learn how to make a website a lead generating, client getting tool. Learn how to build a website that helps generate business and revenue for your clients.
      I guess this really is the crux of it. It's not really about webdesign but offering a service to businesses. Thanks for making this clear.
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  • Profile picture of the author phil.wheatley
    Hey Mate

    Rather than outsourcing, why not think about partnering with somebody else, like what you were going to do with your friend. Maybe you could find somebody from this forum??

    The thing is, it will mean you won't feel like you are doing this thing all alone, you will have someone to share problems with, ideas with and most importantly, you can both concentrate on the parts you are good at. It will also help spur you along as you will both be accountable for each other.

    If you look at the most successful people in the world, nearly all of them got other people to help them.

    I agree with others on here also, don't get into pricing wars, instead charge higher so that you can afford to time to create a better site and service, then other people seeing your websites will want one also.

    Good luck
    Phil
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  • Profile picture of the author Mady1234
    I would go for WordPress or templates which you can customize yourself. Even a basic understanding of CSS and HTML can help you design something that is truly yours.

    In the meantime I would really start looking for outsourcers. There are good ones out there, it just takes a little more time and effort to find them. It's also much more enjoyable to just focus on marketing your business instead of marketing AND trying to keep your clients happy by editing pesky little details in the work you do for them.
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